Homeschooling Means...#17

...having the following awkward conversation:

We were at the library after school.  We have daughters the same age.

Public schooling friend: "Suzy only has to do one page of math homework-front and back-a night.  So it's not that bad.  But some nights it takes her forever!  Like an hour and a half!  It's not that the math is too hard for her, it's just that homework time is such a fight for us!"

Me: "Oh, I know.  That's gotta be hard.  Math is sometimes no fun."

-lull in conversation- 

Me: (Trying to think of something to say to show I can relate to her.) "I let my girls do their work in any order during the week.  So they have a set amount of math pages and I don't care when they complete them.  Last week Secundus decided to procrastinate and leave all her math until Friday!  Boy, was she regretting that!"

PS friend: (Polite smile.) "Yeah."

I love that my public schooling friends don't seem to feel awkward talking about their kids' school experience -the good and the bad- in front of me!  But sometimes I just don't know what to say in response.  Or, at least, I'm not good at thinking of good things to say in the moment.  Our experiences really don't match up sometimes!

(This series is meant to be mostly lighthearted and fun.  Some may be serious, but most will be silly, braggy, or of the keepin'-it-real variety.  Not every homeschool is the same.  And some of these things could be said by public school parents.  This is just to highlight MY experience with MY homeschool and MY children.  Enjoy these little insights into our life and feel free to share your own "Homeschooling means..." in the comments!)

Homeschooling Means...#16

...my dream is to trade in my minivan for an old school bus and then paint it to look like Ms. Frizzle's Magic School Bus.

(This series is meant to be mostly lighthearted and fun.  Some may be serious, but most will be silly, braggy, or of the keepin'-it-real variety.  Not every homeschool is the same.  And some of these things could be said by public school parents.  This is just to highlight MY experience with MY homeschool and MY children.  Enjoy these little insights into our life and feel free to share your own "Homeschooling means..." in the comments!)

Homeschooling Means...#15

...every time my kids exhibit a quirk my brother condescendingly, playfully explains, "it's because they're homeschooled."

Also, homeschooling means that every time my nieces or nephews exhibit a quirk I condescndingly, playfully explain to my brother, "it's because they go to public school."

Nothing but mutual respect and love in my family!  :)


(This series is meant to be mostly lighthearted and fun.  Some may be serious, but most will be silly, braggy, or of the keepin'-it-real variety.  Not every homeschool is the same.  And some of these things could be said by public school parents.  This is just to highlight MY experience with MY homeschool and MY children.  Enjoy these little insights into our life and feel free to share your own "Homeschooling means..." in the comments!)

Candy Cane Science

Yay for interest-led learning and on-the-fly science lessons!

This morning for a treat at breakfast I made hot chocolate for the kids.  I even found the candy canes I had bought after Christmas last year on sale and stirred those in.  When the candy canes disappeared as if by magic, that led to a great, quick science lesson.

We stuck one candy cane in a glass of refrigerated cold water, and one cane in a glass of hot tap water.  Then they were set on the table for observation while we finished breakfast.

It was very clear that the candy dissolved much quicker in the hot water.  The kids even noticed that the hot water was a deeper pink color and tasted more minty.